


Take & Give

by penlex



Series: little cuts [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Platonic Relationships, Politics, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Siblings, Sokovia Accords
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 06:57:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16035308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penlex/pseuds/penlex
Summary: Thor and Loki negotiate the terms of Loki's freedom on Earth.





	Take & Give

**Author's Note:**

> The political delegates are described without gender because a) Thor doesn't know their gender and I decided he wouldn't assume, and b) I didn't feel like researching any real political delegates (which, incidentally, is why they are all described without skin color or body type too).

Thor stands on the floor at the center of a tall, wide circle of graduated raised stands. They are divided up into sections, each with three or four seats, and a little placard with the name of a country atop a small attached table. Every section is occupied, over a hundred of them, all the seated leaders staring down at him with flat faces. Even though he is the elder of every one of them, and even with his own small delegation at his back, Thor still finds himself intimidated.

"Prince Loki holds the second highest position of our governing body," Thor says again. He grows frustrated, though that stems more from worry that Earth will turn them away than from having to repeat himself. "His service to our people is greatly needed and valued-"

"So you've said," interrupts someone sitting behind a placard that reads 'Austria'. They have a severe haircut and a thin mouth, and they have spoken over Thor no fewer than seven times throughout the course of this hearing so far. Thor hears the soft creak of leather from behind him and spreads his hand in a staying motion, knowing that the Valkyrie is probably tightening her grip on the hilt of one of her many knives (magically obscured from the weapons detectors, courtesy of Loki) at the blatant disrespect being shown to her king. "But I think I speak for everyone here-" This has been a favorite phrase of this person's, and a phrase which Thor himself is swiftly growing to despise. "-when I say that I'm afraid a high position of power just isn't enough to excuse a declaration of war, however temporary."

"The actions Prince Loki took against Earth were not a declaration of war," Thor grits out, trying to make sure it's not obvious in his voice that his teeth are starting to clench in irritation. He doesn't bother to address the speaker, instead meeting the eyes of their leader sitting to their left, a President Vander-something. "At the time, Prince Loki had been declared dead on Asgard and was thus not a citizen. He has since served the punishment he was sentenced for his crimes by then-King Odin and has been reinstated to his title and powers upon his release." It's not strictly true, but Thor knows there is no one who will deny it. The only problem is it doesn't seem to be impressing enough of these Earth leaders to matter. He has to think of something else to add. He has never been in this position before, even on the occasion he would go and delegate for negotiations alongside his father. Always before Asgard has had the greatest position from which to bargain. Now they are poor and few; they have neither money nor might with which to buy their favor.

Thor glances behind him. Loki is closest at hand, stepped forward in deference both to his rank and to the fact that he is being discussed, and behind him Heimdall and the Valkyrie in their uniforms. Loki is dressed in the finery he'd used to wear when the royal family would attend formal affairs hosted to meet with the families of their more tenuous allies. That is to say - the finest. He wears dark green leathers, his feet booted and hands gloved. The gold chest piece hung from his shoulders is thin and light, not suitable for actual warfaring. Atop that there is a cloak of the same foresty shade as his leathers, lined with wolf's fur sewn through with gold threads to sparkle among the natural hairs. He has dark powder at the corners of his eyes and a strand of Thor's shorn hair braided into his. Round his head is a band with horns to match his battle helmet, though these are significantly smaller. He'd had it all stored away in his dimensional pocket long before he'd ever left Asgard.

Thor himself is also wearing his finest, the entire ensemble having been in Loki's pocket as well because Loki had apparently stolen it decades ago, forcing Thor to appear at one of those formal affairs in only his second best to the ire of their parents. Thor had been unaware of the theft up until hours ago when Loki had pulled the outfit out of the air along with his own. It's an odd feeling to be pissed off and grateful for the same thing at the same time. Thor pushes himself to err toward the latter, as he wouldn't have been surprised at all if Loki had worn his majestic attire even if Thor had none and shown up his king at an official function. As it is they are well matched, with Thor in dark blue leathers and silver breast plate, a red cloak lined as well with wolf's fur and sewn through with silver. He has no hair to braid and feels under-dressed without it, despite the heavy winged circlet on his head and the glittering red shadow along the line of his lashes. Thor also holds Gungnir in his right hand. They had at first instructed him to check it at the entrance, but Loki had stepped in with his quick tongue and had them convinced in short order that it was a harmless marker of Thor's status as king, comparable to the crowns or sashes worn by some of the other leaders in attendance.

Loki's face doesn't change when Thor meets his eyes in the heavy silence in the room before another of Earth's representatives speak again in denial or accusation of them. It's strange to see neither judgement or suggestion in his brother's gaze, only patience and maybe even a little bit of sympathy. Still not a trace of guilt, but Thor imagines even if it were there Loki would hide it well. Thor thinks, _He told you so_ , to himself in Loki's stead. Then he struggles to think of another argument, to meet Loki's new expectations of him. Finally he sighs deeply, and turns back to the so far unyielding room. It has only been a moment, if a long one.

"Loki was not one of us when he brought violence upon this planet," he echoes himself wearily. "However, he is one of us now and all of Asgard will stand in support with him and lend ourselves to fulfill together reparations in payment to the people of Earth." He quickly adds, "Non-monetary reparations," withholding a grimace with effort. It will take a long time to get used to lacking.

"'Non-monetary reparations,'" someone sneers back at him. It's clear whoever they are they look down upon Thor and his people more than just in the current literal sense. Thor keeps his shoulders high as he searches out the speaker. "What exactly could your people offer, _non-monetarily_ , King Odinsson?" Thor swallows down his correction of the form of address (many of these people refuse to understand that the Aesir do not have 'last names' in the way that they do), even as he finally locates the person in question. They wear a striped suit and are leaning forward on their elbows over a table labeled 'United Kingdom'. Thor refrains from glaring at them, but only just. Instead he only sighs again, having had well past his fill of this political posturing.

"We can," he starts, not even truly knowing what he's going to suggest. It is then, luckily, that Loki finally speaks on his own behalf.

"I can fix global warming," he says, his mouth curling up in his typical self-satisfied smirk. Thor jerks his head back around to look at him again.

"You-?" he stutters, and then realizes. "You stole the Casket of Ancient Winters." Likely it is folly to make any accusation of Loki whatsoever given the attitude of their present company but Thor has been caught off guard, though of course he shouldn't be by such a - as he said - predictable action, and it slips out.

"Excuse me," Loki drawls, turning his smirk on Thor, his green eyes sparkling brightly. "Your father stole it from my father, and as they're both dead now technically you owe it to me." He lets his smirk spread all across his face in a closed-mouth grin that would have Stark calling him 'Mr. Grinch'. Thor glares at him, but then forces his own mouth into a painfully enigmatic smile, turning back to the assembled judgement with his arms spread as if to present the gift.

"He can fix global warming!" Thor repeats in a jovial tone he hopes doesn't sound as stiff as it feels coming out of his stretched lips.

"Of course we shall need to put it to a vote," says King T'Challa of Wakanda, seated toward the left of the room and flanked by a fur-clad warrior who looks even bigger than Thor and a slighter one with a shaven head and brightly painted lips. "But that sounds like a more than reasonable repayment to me." Thor has already met King T'Challa and knows him to be an ally, having shared drinks and sought advice from him in Stark's tower only hours after landing.

King T'Challa goes on to enumerate on how many lives, both human and of a variety of wildlife, that a solution to the earth's climate change problem would save. Many of the other delegations seem to listen to him with ill grace, but when the vote comes it is steeply in favor of accepting the suggested reparations and allowing the Aesir nation to make settlement on Earth. They will have to enter into additional negotiations with whichever country owns the lands they seek, but at least now it will be legal for them to do so.

It is as they are leaving the awful stacked room that Loki's eyebrows finally rise. Thor can hear Loki's snide voice in his mind clearly saying, 'I could have brought a global government to this realm. That would be much easier for everyone, wouldn't it?' Thor glares at him again, much harder this time. But Loki's superior look melts away into a genuine smile, and he doesn't speak aloud any recrimination on Earth or on Thor.

He even holds the door.


End file.
